Automatic electric hot-water heating system



AUS 7, 1951 D. J. LIMERICK 2,563,345

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed DeC. 22. 1949 Jig-9.1.

Patented ug. 7, l1951 AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC HOT-WATER HEATING SYSTEM Daniel J. Limerick, Hammond, Ind.

Application December 22, 1949, Serial No. 134,387

2 Claims. (Cl. 21S-38) My invention relates to an automatic hot water heating system.

f A primary object of my invention is to provide an automatic electric hot water heating system for use in homes and small oilices, the system being highly simplified and extremely compact. A further object is to provide a novel electric hot water heater including separate, indepen- 4dent, electric heating elements which may be removed individually for repairs and the like without shutting down the entire heating system or draining the boiler.

' "-A further object is to provide a compact and lrelatively small, automatic electric heating system which will produce a steady and even heat at all times.

vA still further object of the invention is to provide a heating system of the above-mentioned character which will be economical to install and operate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and .in which like numerals Vare employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic electric hot water heating system embodying my invention, partly diagrammatic;

Figure 2 is a central, vertical section taken on line 2-'2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal, transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5' is a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit embodied in my heating system.

In the drawings, where, for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral I designates the floor of a house or the like supported by the usual horizontal iioor joists II. Conventional hot water radiators I2 and I3 are mounted upon the oor `I 0 in spaced-apart relation, and may be disposed in different rooms of the house.

A relatively small, compact, electric hot water heater or boiler I4 may be arranged below the floor I0 and suspended from the :door joists II by means of depending vertical bars or plates I5 having their top ends rigidly secured to adjacent joists II and their bottom ends detacha- `bly connected, as at I6, with upstanding lugs I'I rigidly secured to the top of the heater or boiler@ j I4. The boiler I4 is also equipped at its bottom with legs I8 which support the boiler when it is desired to mount the boiler upon a basement floor or the like.

The heater or boiler proper comprises a generally cylindrical shell or casing I9 formed` of steel, cast iron or the like. This casing I9 includes a conically tapered top 20 and a iiat, horizontal bottom 2|, the top and ,bottom being integrally connected with the side Wall of the casing to form a water-tight chamber or compartment adapted to be filled with water. The top 20 of the .boiler has a short vertical hot water outlet pipe 22 having a T-iitting 23 secured to its top end, and connected with horizontally disposed pipes 24 and 25, leading at their opposite ends into vertically upwardly extending hot water inlet pipes 26 and 2I leading into the bottoms of the radiators I2 and I3 at one pair of ends of the radiators, as shown in Figure 1. Vertical return pipes 28 and 29 lead from the tops of the radiators I2 and I3, and from their opposite ends. The return pipe 28 extends below the iloor I0 for a slight distance, and leads into a horizontal branch pipe 30, having its end connected with a T-tting 3l, in turn connected in the vertically extending return pipe 29 of the radiator I3. The pipe 29 extends adjacent to the bottom of the boiler I4 for connection with an elbow 32 leading into a horizontal pipe 33 connected at its opposite end with an elbow 34, in turn connected with a short, vertical return pipe 35 leading into the bottom 2I of the boiler at the center of the boiler and in substantial alignment with the outlet pipe 22.

The forward side of the boiler is provided with a large, rectangular opening 36 bounded at its opposite sides with vertically extending, forwardly projecting flanges or door jambs r3l and 38. The flanges 3'I and 38 are flat and integrally connected, by welding or the like, with the cylindrical shell or casing I9. The entire outer surface of the cylindrical easing I9, the outer surfaces of the anges 31 and 38, and the outer faces of the top and bottom 2I and 22, respectively, are all preferably lagged or coated with asbestos 39, or any other suitable heat-insulating compound. An outer jacket 40 of sheet metal or the like may be provided upon the outer surfacey of the asbestos coating, and this jacket or covering 40 preferably includes a top and bottom section 4I and 42, respectively, and side flanges 43 and 44 spaced laterally outwardly of the flanges 3'I and 38.

A large, rectangular, slightly transversely contand' submerged inrthe water. the integral Welded construction, no :water can Vex door 45 is provided for covering the forward opening 36, and this door is mounted upon hinges 46 for horizontal swinging movement, the hinges being rigidly secured to the adjacent flanges 38 and 44. The outer face of the door 45 is likewise preferably coated or lagged with asbestos 41, in turn preferably covered with an outer sheet metal jacket 48. ,If desired-the door 45 need not be covered withiasbestos, as shown, but may be provided with separate asbestos inserts upon its inner face to cover the forward openings of the heating cells, to be described.

Three separate, at and relatively `lowiinternal heating cells 49, 50 and 5I are provided'andarranged in vertically spaced, superposed relation, as shown in Figure 2. The cells 99,159 and 5I are horizontal, as shownyand each shell comprises a iiat top and bottom 52 and 53,-respec. tively. Each shell further comprises a vertical, narrow side Wal1.55 cylindrically v`curved .atfits inner end, -as shown at 56, and .spaced radially fand econcentrically' from the side wall ofthe casing I9, Figure 3. The tops, bottoms andl side is connected with wires and 19, electrically connected, as at 80 and 8l, with a pair of termi- ;nals of a-control panel or terminal strip 82. The

.t "second aquastat switch 11 is connected with wires .3.3` and :84,.electrically connected,l as at 85 and 86, with the terminal strip 82. The thermostat ''wire's`69 and 10 areelectrically connected in the walls of the cells 49, 50 and 5I are integrally. connected by Welding or thelike to form. dry watertight compartments withinthe cells. The cells easing .I 9; and the inner ends of the cells are supported by rigid, horizontal `I-braces 51 having their opposite ends weldedor otherwise rigidly secured ,to the side Wall of the casing I9. The

forward ends` of the ,cellsare open. until covered 'bythe door 45, land such forward ends project through the forward opening 36 and terminate fiiush with the outer vertical edges of the` flanges or door jambs 31-andj36, such flangesibeing integrally connected by welding or the like with the 'side walls 55 of the cells. `The construction Vis,

vsuch that-the-casingor tank I9 may be entirely `iilled with water, whilethe compartments formed by thecells49, 50and 5I remain entirely dry, although the cells are completely surrounded by Likewise, due to leak from the Vtank or casing I9 through the 'forward opening 3G.

Fixedly mountedwithin each of the cells 59,

z5I! and Y5| is a horizontallyY disposed, circular,

electricresistance 'type heating element 59, preferably comprising a plurality of coils and engaging uponlow, tapered or cone-shaped vblocks 60 of insulating Vmaterial, such blocks serving to Vsupport and center the heating elements 59 within the cells. The heating elements or 'coils 59 have-radial ends 6I and 62 rbent laterally outwardly adjacent to ythe forward'opening 36 for Ypassage through openings 631formed in the ad- -jacent side-flange 31 and jacket side '49. As best shownin Figure 4, the lateral extensions 64 and 55 ofthe `heating elements 59 are embedded in electrical insulating material 66 covered with suitable sheathing vor tubing 61 for engagement through the openings 63. The inner face of the door `I5 is recessed, asshown in Figure 3, to aclcommodate the extensions and 55. The heat- A wallemounted,room-temperature control device..

or thermostat 68 is arranged within'the room wires 11i and 15, between the main switch 13 and control panel 82, as at 59 and 19. In Figure 5, the three heating elements 59 are shown vin their -same relative positions, one above the other, as shown and described i'n'connection with Figure 2. The intermediate and lowermost heating elements 59 are electrically connected in series, Figure 5, and the uppermost heating element 59 isfconnectedl `rinf-parallel with 1 the lowermost and intermediate elements 59. The uppermost element 59 has one end wire 81 electricallyY connected, as at 88, with Vthe terminal strip 82, and the other end wire 89 of the uppermost heatingelement 59 is electrically connected, 4as at 90, with the terminal strip 82. One end wire 9i of the intermediate element59 is electrically connected at 92 with the terminal strip 82, 'and Vthe opposite end wirer 95 of the lowermost elements V59 is connected, as at '94, with the wire 89 leading to the terminal strip at 99..-1With this arrangement, the uppermostheating element may be operated alone with the intermediate fand lowermost heating elements. out 01T. The aquastat switch 11 is preferably set for water .temperatures rangingfrom to 195, and will cut in at 180 and shutoff. at 195. The `aquastat switch 16 is adjusted to cut oi atwater temper- The aquastat switch 11 controls the operationof both the intermediate and lowermostheating elements 59 which are connected in series, as previously stated, While the-aquastat .switch-.16 controls the operation of the uppermost vheating element 59. The aquastat switch 16:.is adapted to turn on orenergize the uppermost heating element 59 when 'the water within the pipe 21 reaches approximately 195.

'In operation, lwith vthe heating system hooked up as shown and described, the main switch 13 in the line is closed and the thermostat 58 is set for the desired room temperature. YAssuming that the water in the pipe 21 is cold, bothV aquastats 16 and 11 are closed, so vthat all three heat- 60. ing coils :59.will'producefheat. Thewaterwithin the boilerv casing I9 is now heated and will begin tocirculate upwardlyV through the pipe v22, horizontal pipes 24 and 25, vertical inletpipes l26 and 21, and into the `bottoms of the vradiators l2 and I3 to .heat the same. The hot Watergives up its heat in passing through the radiators, and returns to the bottom of the boiler through the return pipes 28 and 29, horizontal pipe .33, and short, vertical return pipe 35, leading into the bottom of the boiler. .When the water in the pipe 21 reaches approximately 195, the aquastat switch 11 will rcut oil or de-energize the intermediate and lowermost heating elements. 59 and the other aquastat ,switch 16 willmaintainthe .uppermostjheating'element 59 energizedfuntilthe maximum desirable water temperature is reached.

If the temperature of the Water in the system rises to approximately 210, the aduastat 'l5 will be actuated for cutting oif the uppermost heating element 59.

It is thus seen that completely automatic means are provided for efficiently and rapidly heating the water within the boiler I4 to approximately the desired temperature, and further automatic means operate a separate heating element for maintaining the heated water at substantially its maximum temperature. Obviously, I do not wish to limit the invention to the precise temperature ranges mentioned previously for actuating the aquastat switches 'I9 and 'Il'. and these temperature ranges may be accordingly Varied.

The construction of the boiler I4 is such that when it becomes necessary to remove or repair one of the heating elements 59, it is unnecessary to drain the water from the boiler or to completely shut off the heating system. The system is very simple, compact, and occupies a minimum of space. It is particularly well adapted for use in small homes and oiices.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A heating system comprising a radiator mounted upon the floor of a room, a boiler arranged below said floor and dependingly supported from the latter, a pipe having one end connected to the bottom of said boiler and having the other end connected to said radiator adjacent its top for conveying water from said radiator to said boiler, a second pipe having one end in communication with the top of said boiler and having the other end connected to said radiator adjacent the bottom thereof for conveying water from said boiler to said radiator, a plurality of horizontally disposed cells arranged in superimposed spaced relation mounted within said boiler, an electrical heating unit positioned in each of said cells, a source of electrical energy, means connecting the heating unit in each of said cells to said source, a first temperature responsive means operatively connected to said second pipe and the heating unit of one of said cells for heating the water in the boiler to a predetermined temperature, and a second temperature responsive means operatively connected to said second pipe and to the heating unit in another of said cells for maintaining the water in said system at a substantially maximum constant temperature,

2. A heating system, comprising a radiator mounted upon the floor of a room, a boiler arranged below said floor and dependingly supported from the latter, a pipe having one end connected to the bottom of said boiler and having the other end' connected to said radiator adjacent its top for conveying water from said radiator to said boiler, a second pipe having one end in communication with the top of said boiler and having the other end connected to said radiator adjacent the bottom thereof for conveying water from said boiler to said radiator, at least three horizontally disposed cells arranged in superimposed spaced relation mounted within said boiler, an electrical heating unit positioned in each of said cells, a source of electrical energy, means connecting the heating unit in each of said cells to said source, a rst temperature responsive means operatively connected to said second pipe and the heating units of two of said cells for heating the water in the boiler to a predetermined temperature, and a second temperature responsive means operatively connected to said second pipe and to the heating unit in the other of said cells for maintaining the water in said system at a substantially maximum constant temperature.

DANIEL J. LIMERICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,370,619 Whitehead Mar. 8, 1921 1,640,049 Nesmth Aug. 23, 1927 1,654,396 Abbott Dec. 27, 1927 1,820,458 Jenkins Aug. 25, 1931 1,828,302 Trane Oct. 20, 1931 1,965,218 Carr July 3, 1934 2,421,562 Hynes June 3, 1947 

